Bioremediation of hydrocarbon-polluted soil using psychrotolerant bacteria: a mesocosms assay under Antarctic conditions

RUBERTO, L; VAZQUEZ, SC, LOBALBO, A, MAC CORMACK, WP

Iguazú, Misiones, Argentina

Congreso; XL Reunión Anual de la SAIB; 2004

SAIB

It is known that temperature strongly limits biodegradation rate. Only cold-adapted microorganisms are suitable for bioremediation processes in cold areas, such as hydrocarbon-contaminated soils near Antarctic stations. In this work we analysed how biodegradation activity is affected by biostimulation (N and P) and bioaugmentation with previously isolated Antarctic hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial consortia. We have carried out a field assay in Antarctica, using 1 m2 land plots containing chronically diesel–oil polluted soil. Heterotrophic and hydrocarbon-degrading aerobic bacterial counts, total hydrocarbon content (FT-IR) and some individual compounds (GC) were determined. Bioestimulated autochthonous microflora from chronically-polluted soils showed high degradation activity (69.6% of removal at day 48) and non-significant differences were observed between this system and those bioaugmented with M10 or J13 consortia at the end of the assay (62.61% and 58.01% respectively). Total hydrocarbon concentration was significantly reduced in the autochthonous and bioaugmented systems compared to the untreated control. These results show the effectiveness of biostimulation of the autochthonous microflora to improve field bioremediation in Antarctica.